Clothespegs



July 31, 1956 LARSEN 2,756,477

CLOTHESPEGS Filed March 12, 1953 United States Patent O CL'OTHESPEGS Aage Kierstein Larsen, Haderslev, Denmark Application March 12, 1953, Serial No. 341,850

Claims priority, application Denmark March 14, 1952 2 Claims. (Cl. 24-137) The present invention deals with a clothespeg of the kind that consists of two members, which lie against each other and can be turned in relation to each other about an axlepin, and of which the one member at its one end has a projection, the other member consisting of an arm which can be turned in a plane on which the inner side of the first-named member lies, and which can squeeze a clothesline against said projection on the first-named member and at the opposite end of the clothespeg can grip a piece of washing by pressing it against the first-named member.

Clothespegs of a similar kind are already known, but they have that disadvantage that they cannot grip firmly clothes of such different thicknesses, as for instance thin sheets and thick woollen blankets, and it is often diflicult to fix the clothes in them.

This disadvantage is overcome with a clothespeg in accordance with the present invention in which the turnable arm is so resiliently fixed on the axlepin that the resiliency is lengthwise of the axlepin.

The efiect of this is that the two members, in the closed position of the clothespeg are, due to this resilient attachment of the arm, kept pressed together, so that even the thinnest piece of washing can be firmly gripped, whilst the arm, when the clothespeg is gripping a thick article can move along the axlepin against this resiliency.

A washer of resilient springy material can in accordance with a feature of the invention be positioned between the turnable arm and a washer, nut or head at the end of the axlepin.

That end of the arm that squeezes the clothesline against the said projection can in accordance with a further feature of the invention be tapered, so that the pressure of the arm against the clothesline is transferred to the piece of material gripped by the other end of the clothespeg.

One example of a clothespeg in accordance with the present invention is hereinafter described, and is shown in the accompanying drawing, which shows a clothespeg in its closed position seen from the side.

Patented July 31, 1956 The clothespeg consists of a member 1 with at its one end a projection 8 in the form of a hook facing inwards and with a round recess 6, and of an arm 2 which can turn about an axlepin 3, which passes through the member 1 and the arm 2 and at both its ends has flanges 4, 4. Between the flange 4 and the arm 2 is placed a washer of resilient material such as rubber, which holds the arm 2 resiliently against the member 1. The one end 7 of the arm 2 which lies towards the projection 8 is tapered in such a manner that when the clothespeg is closed on a clothesline, the arm presses the line down in the recess 6, which pressure tends to lift the tapered end 7 of the arm 2, and this pressure, is on account of the resilient washer 5 converted to a gripping pressure between the two other ends of respectively the arm 2 and the member 1.

The member 1 may advantageously have a recess 9 in which can be placed a hem on a piece of washing.

What I claim is:

1. A clothespeg one end of which is designed to grip a clothesline, the other end being designed to grip the articles to be hung from the line, comprising a first n'gid member having a hooklike projection on one end thereof adapted to receive a clothesline, an axlepin having a flange at each end, said axlepin extending through said first rigid member and projecting therefrom on the same side as said hooklike projection, a second rigid member rotatably mounted on the projecting portion of said axlepin, the face on one end of said second rigid member adjacent the first rigid member being tapered, said end extending into the hooklike projection a distance such that said tapered face will engage a clothesline received by said hooklike projection, and resilient means between said second rigid member and the flange on the end of said axlepin adjacent said member.

2. A clothespeg as claimed in claim 1 in which said resilient means comprise a rubber washer placed on said axlepin between said second rigid member and the flange on the end of said axlepin adjacent said second member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 59,545 Barden Nov. 13, 1866 81,945 Rand Sept. 8, 1868 183,645 Craig Oct. 24, 1876 258,644 Haskins May 30, 1882 438,154 Hartrnann Oct. 14, 1890 652,996 Cotter July 3, 1900 2,197,881 Seabo Apr. 23, 1940 2,457,026 Bergantino Dec. 21, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 414,071 Germany May 27, 1925 

